Oilpulling Research

oilpulling is one of the most widely discussed subjects in natural remedies area. At oilpulling.com we encourage researchers around the world to take up the projects related to oil pulling theory. We would help in way we can to progress the research. Pl. reach out to us at info@oilpulling.com.

Scientists at the 87th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, reported new studies connecting oral diseases with systemic diseases. A recurring theme is the relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and infant prematurity, diabetes, or stroke.

Mouth is known to have numerous bacteria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_microbiology. Usually we can keep these bacteria under control with good oral care, viz brushing and other healthy routine activities. Saliva is a key defense mechanism against bacteria and viruses http://www.avianweb.com. It contains enzymes that destroy bacteria in different ways. But harmful bacteria can at times grow out of control and lead to serious gum infection.

Sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in the mouth. In other cases, infections in the mouth, such as gum disease, can cause problems in other parts of the body. Condition of the mouth can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general infection (related to other parts of the body). For example, systemic diseases, which affect the entire body, such as diabetes, AIDS and cancer, may first become apparent because of a mouth injury or other oral problems.

When the gums are healthy, bacteria in the mouth usually don't enter the bloodstream. However, when there prevails gum disease bacteria many enter into the bloodstream by one of the two ways. Firstly, through aggressive dental treatments. Secondly, through treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in the mouth also may lead to oral changes, making it easier for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.

Complete Protein map of Human Spit :
In 2008, US researchers have identified all 1,116 unique proteins glands found in the human saliva glands. The discovery that ushered everyone that in future, spit-based diagnostic tests that could be done without the need for a single drop of blood. As many as one fifth of the proteins found in saliva are also found in blood.

The researchers believe that saliva-based tests could be used to diagnose cancer, heart diseases, diabetes and a number of other conditions.

There are already saliva-based antibody tests performed to detect HIV and hepatitis infections. Further research is also in progress to develop saliva-based tests for breast cancer.

As it's been scientifically proved that mouth is the key determinant of the overall health. In future, we can anticipate a non intrusive tests (without needless), based on saliva drops.

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A research paper on oilpulling

Effect of oil-pulling on dental caries causing bacteria
T. Durai Anand*, C. Pothiraj, R. M. Gopinath and B. Kayalvizhi
PG Department of Microbiology, V. H. N. S. N. College, Virudhunagar- 626 001, India.
Accepted 12 February, 2008
The effect of oil-pulling on the reduction of total count of bacteria was determined. There was a
remarkable reduction in the total count of bacteria. The process of oil-pulling reduced the susceptibility
of a host to dental caries. The in-vitro antibacterial activity of sesame oil against dental caries causing
bacteria was determined. Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus were found to be
moderately sensitive to the sesame oil.
Key words: Antibacterial activity, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

INTRODUCTION
The development of bacterial resistance to presently
available antibiotics has necessitated the search for new
antibacterial agents (Mylotte et al., 1987). Bacteria are
very adaptable organisms because of their very short
generation time (as little as 15 to 20 min for some species
under ideal conditions) and their propensity for
sharing genetic information – even among different species
of bacteria. The presence of an antibiotic may kill
most of the bacteria in an environment but the resistant
survivors can eventually re-establish themselves and
pass their resistance genes on to their offspring and,
often, to other species of bacteria. Both medical and
veterinary uses of antibiotics have resulted in the appearance
of resistant strains of bacteria. Resistant bacteria
which are human pathogens may cause disease that are
difficult to treat; even if the resistant bacteria are not
human pathogens, they may still be dangerous because
they can transfer their antibiotic resistance genes to other
bacteria that are pathogenic (Barton, 1998; Khachatourians,
1998).
The overuse of antibiotics in the treatment of infectious
diseases, and the appearance of ‘multi-drug resistant’
bacterial strains (resistant to two or more antibiotics), has
driven research towards the study of antimicrobial agents
from essential oils (Hammer et al., 1999; Cox et al., 2000;
Dorman and Deans, 2000). The purpose of this study
was to investigate the effect of oil-pulling on dental caries
causing bacteria.
Oil pulling or oil swishing is a procedure in which the
practitioners rinse their mouth with approximately one
*Corresponding
tablespoon of an ordinary cooking oil for 3 − 20 min, then
spits it out. This procedure is typically performed daily.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L., Pedaliaceae) is a very
old cultivated crop and thought to have originated in
Africa (Ram et al., 1990). Chlorosesamone obtained from
roots of sesame has antifungal activity (Begum et al.,
2000).
Sesame lignans have antioxidant and health promoting
activities (Kato et al., 1998). High amounts of both sesamin
and sesamolin have been identified in sesame
(Sirato-Yasumoto et al., 2001). Both sesamin and
sesamolin were reported to increase both the hepatic
mitochondrial and the peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation
rate. Sesame seed consumption appears to increase
plasma gamma-tocopherol and enhanced vitamin E activity
which is believed to prevent cancer and heart
disease (Cooney et al., 2001).
Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or dental
cavities, is a disease which damages the structures of
teeth. The occurrence of dental caries is globally widespread,
and the disease can lead to pain, tooth loss,
infection, and, in severe cases, death. It is the most significant
cause of tooth loss in children.
The mouth contains a wide variety of bacteria, but only
a few specific species of bacteria are believed to cause
dental caries: Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli
among them. Particular for root caries, the most closely
associated bacteria frequently identified are Lactobacillus
acidophilus, Actinomyces viscosus, and S. mutans.

Bacteria collect around the teeth and gums in a sticky,
creamy-coloured mass called plaque.
In recent years, a large number of oils and their constituents
have been investigated for their antimicrobial
properties against bacteria and fungi. The current workTable 1. Effect of oil-pulling on the reduction of total count of bacteria
Case Study Persons Number of colonies per ml before oilpulling
Number of colonies per ml after
oil-pulling
1 15x103 12 x103
2 20x104 18x104
3 16x103 14x103
4 14x103 11x103
5 12x103 9 x103
6 21x104 9 x103
7 15x104 10 x104
8 18x103 15x103
9 17x103 13x103
10 12x104 9 x104
Oil-pulling is done for a period of 40 days. ( Table1)
presents an evaluation of antibacterial activity of sesame
oil and its inhibitory effect against the dental caries causing
bacteria.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sesame oil
Sesame oil was obtained from V. V. V. and Sons, Virudhunagar,
India. This oil was used in this study.
The effect of oil-pulling on the reduction of total count of
bacteria
Case study
For the case study, persons who had dental caries were selected.
Before oil-pulling, they were instructed to wash their mouth with the
physiological saline (0. 85% NaCl). This saline was collected in a
sterile container. This saline was serially diluted and plated in
nutrient agar plates. The plates were incubated aerobically at 37°C
for 24 h. After this incubation period, the number of colonies
present in 1 ml of the saline was calculated. These persons were
then directed to do oil-pulling.
After oil-pulling, the same procedure was followed, that is, they
were instructed to wash their mouth with the physiological saline (0.
85% NaCl). This saline was collected in a sterile container. This
saline was serially diluted and plated in nutrient agar plates. After
this incubation period, the number of colonies present in 1 ml of the
saline was calculated.
Effect of oil pulling on the susceptibility of a host to dental
caries
The effect of oil pulling on the susceptibility of a host to dental
caries was determined by Snyder method (Snyder, 1941). The test
was performed after 40 days of oil-pulling.
Isolation of dental caries causing bacteria
The clinical samples were collected from the case study persons.
Cotton swabs were first prepared and dipped in Cary and Blair
transport medium in small tubes. Then, swabs along with medium
in tubes were sterilized and then used for collection of samples.
The swab was gently pressed on the portion of teeth with carious
lesion and rotated 2-3 times. Then, swab was immediately dipped
in the tube with sterile transport medium. The tube was brought to
laboratory and then further processed immediately.
The isolates were identified using the literature methods (Hardie,
1986; Kandler and Weiss, 1986).
S. mutans (MTCC 497) and L. acidophilus (MTCC 447) were
used as reference strains. The pure culture of S. mutans (MTCC
497) was maintained on BHI agar slants and stored at 4oC. The
pure culture of L. acidophilus (MTCC 447) was maintained on MRS
agar slants and stored at 4oC.
Antibacterial activity of sesame oil against dental caries
causing bacteria
Screening of sesame oil for antibacterial activity was done by the
disk diffusion method (Acar and Goldstein, 1991). It was performed
using an 18 h culture at 37°C in 10 ml of Mueller Hinton Broth. The
cultures were adjusted to approximately 105 CFU/ml with sterile
saline solution. Five hundred microliters of the suspensions was
spread over the plates containing Mueller-Hinton agar using a
sterile cotton swab in order to get a uniform microbial growth on
both control and test plates. The sesame oil was dissolved in 10%
aqueous dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with Tween 80 (0.5% v/v for
easy diffusion) and sterilized by filtration through a 0.45 .m
membrane filter. Under aseptic conditions, HiMedia sterile discs5,
1:10, and 1:20) of the sesame oil and placed on the agar surface.
Sterile discs moistened with aqueous DMSO and tween 80 were
placed on the seeded Petri plate as vehicle control.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The effect of oil-pulling on the reduction of total
count of bacteria
The results of our study have shown the antibacterial
effect of sesame oil on total bacteria. The reduction of
total count of bacteria ranged from 10 to 33.4%. The
average reduction of total count of bacteria was 20%
after 40 days of oil-pulling (Table 1). Therefore, the
sesame oil is found to be effective in reducing bacterial growth and adhesion. Toxins and bacteria from the body
might be expelled through the tongue and trapped in the
oil and removed from the body.
Effect of oil pulling on the susceptibility of a host to
dental caries
There is a remarkable reduction in the susceptibility of a
host to dental caries. 50% of the case study persons
were converted from marked dental caries susceptibility
to slight dental caries susceptibility. 50% of the case study
persons were converted from marked dental caries
susceptibility to moderate dental caries susceptibility
(Table 2).

Antibacterial activity of sesame oil against dental
caries causing bacteria
Recently, antimicrobial therapy with S. mutans as an indicator
organism has been shown to reduce caries activity.
Application of disinfectants such as chlorhexidine and
iodine directly to the teeth reduce the S. mutans population
in plaque for prolonged periods of time, whereas
mouth rinsing with chlorhexidine and oral penicillin therapy
does not seem to have a long-lasting effect on the S.mutans infection (Emilson and Fornell, 1976; Caufield
and Gibbons, 1979; Maltz and Zickert, 1982).
Regardless of which agent is the drug of choice for the
treatment of oral diseases, dental scientists are still
searching for new therapeutic applications to prevent and
treat them. Toxicity, mucosal ulceration, and development
of resistant bacterial strains are the adverse effects
found with several other antibacterial agents. Collectively,
these adverse effects of dental medications motivate
dentists to use conventional natural therapeutics for the
oral cavity ailments (Takahashi et al., 2003).
S. mutans and L. acidophilus were moderately sensitive
to sesame oil. The antibacterial activity was found to
be high in 1:1 dilution compared to the other dilutions.
The solvents, DMSO and Tween 80, had no antibacterial
activity against the target organisms (Table 3). Takahashi
et al. (2003) reported the antibacterial effect of mastic
gum on S. mutans, and lactobacilli.
In the present study, sesame oil is found to have the
antibacterial activity against S. mutans, lactobacilli, and
total bacteria. Therefore, oil-pulling could be useful for
maintaining oral hygiene.
Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oil
as well as of oil constituents are well documented.
Screening for antimicrobial activity has been the subject
of many investigations and oils with very potentantibacterial and antifungal activity could be promising
agents for the future more extensive research.

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